Adams, Kevin (OST) 

From: Terry Lahti [terry@lahtisearch.com] 

Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 7:43 PM 

To: Adams, Kevin (OST) 

Cc: senator@levin.senate.gov; senator@stabenow.senate.gov; dan.benishel<@mail.house.gov; 

jl<rawczak @ alpenacham ber.com 

Subject: Commercial Air Service for Alpena and Northeastern Michigan Tj 

To: Mr. Kevin Adams 2l ~^ I S 

U. S. Department of Transportation en ^'^§"-• 

Re: Commercial Air Service for Alpena and Northeastern Michigan '^ 

Dear Mr. Adams: ^ 

As a small business owner headquartered near Alpena, Michigan, I am writing to you out of concern for the 

future of our business and of Northeastern Michigan's economic vitality. 

Our company is a frequent user of commercial air service at the Alpena County Regional Airport. Although 

flights are limited, the Delta Airlines service from Alpena through Detroit has been a critical lifeline to connect 

us to our work around the country. Detroit/Wayne County International Airport provides a portal with timely 

connections to nearly every major airport in the country. Furthermore, Detroit is near enough that should a 

cancellation or long delay occur, our employees have a surface transportation option to catch a flight in Detroit 

or to return home without an overnight stay (or longer). We have been encouraged by the growing passenger 

loads and the recent aircraft upgrade under Delta's service. With dependable and higher quality service, 

coupled with a recovering economy, we anticipate that Lahti Search Consultants and others will make even 

greater use of commercial air service to and through Detroit. 

As you know, Alpena and Northeastern Michigan are more than 100 miles from any other significant 

commercial air service and indeed more than 200 miles from a major hub (Detroit). We are grateful that the 

Department of Transportation is seeking to keep commercial air service here. However, we are gravely 

concerned for the future of our business in that the response to the current bidding process by carriers is 

unworkable for the vast majority of fliers in this area. We need connections to and from Detroit with a carrier 

like Delta to ensure we can get to where our business is in a timely and cost-effective manner. Gulfstream's 

current proposal for limited service to a distant and more-limited Cleveland Hopkins Airport, while appreciated, 

is totally insufficient for our needs as a growing business. 

Lahti Search Consultants has a record of 15 years of success and growth, conducting high-level executive 

position searches at colleges and universities all over the United States. With demand outstripping our current 

staffing, we are poised for further growth. We prefer to maintain our headquarters and main operations in 

Northeastern Michigan, but lacking adequate air service for our travel-critical business, we will be forced to 

relocate our primary operations and staff to our branch office in Minneapolis. We strongly prefer to stay in 

Michigan and respectfully ask that you re-bid to process to get the most from taxpayers' dollars and to build 

upon Delta's current operations. We must find a way to keep Delta Airlines operations here or to attract a 

comparable alternative. We clearly don't have that with the current bid. 

Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter, critical for the future of all of Northeastern Michigan. 

Sincerely, 

Teresa M. Lahti 
Adams, Kevin (OST) 

From: Richard Cook [richard@lahtisearch.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 10:13 AM 

To: Adams, Kevin (OST) 

Cc: dan.benishek@mail.house.gov 

Subject: Alpena, Michigan air service 

Mr. Kevin Adams 

U. S. Department of Transportation 

Dear Mr. Adams: 

As a resident of Northeastern Michigan, I would like to appeal to you to re-solicit bids for continuing 

commercial passenger air service to Alpena, Michigan. Delta Airlines' twice-daily connections to Detroit and to 

everywhere that gateway leads have been a vital lifeline for this region of Michigan. The current bid by 

Gulfstream to provide service to Cleveland does not meet the needs of this region. 

The next-nearest commercial passenger service is well over 100 miles distant from Alpena, and driving 

to Detroit is a five-hour trip one-way. Alpena relies on service by Delta Airiines and its many connections in 

Detroit. It is essential that we are able to have access to reasonably priced flights that don't normally require 

yet a second connection. 

We are encouraged by the increasing use of air service here in Alpena—reliable, convenient, and 

affordable service attracts fliers. In our own case, our large family from out of state is a frequent user of the 

current service here and will be increasingly so. They currently fly from Minneapolis with convenient Delta 

connections through Detroit. If that type of service is discontinued, they either will no longer be able to visit this 

part of the country, or they will elect to drive because the prospect of long flights and connections is less 

appealing and practical than a 10-hour trip in an automobile. 

I ask that you seek additional bids for subsidized air service to Alpena, including from Delta Airlines. 

This rather remote area of the state will support good air service if it is provided. 

Thank you for your time and attention. 

Richard J. Cook 

357-C S. Oliver Street 

Alpena, Michigan 49707 

Richard cook@comcast.net 

Copy: Senator Carl Levin 

Senator Debbie Stabenow 

Representative Dan Benishek 
Adams, Kevin (OST) 

From: James Mazrum [JLMazrum@GillardLaw.com] 

Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 5:05 PM 

To: Adams, Kevin (OST) 

Subject: Alpena Airline Service 

Dear Mr. Adams, 

I am an attorney with a business and corporate practice in Alpena. I also travel frequently for business and personal 

reasons. I have served on the Board of Trustees at Alpena regional Medical Center. I write this note to communicate 

how vital the continuation of regularly scheduled airline service from Alpena to Detroit is to this area of the state of 

Michigan. Northeast Michigan has no freeways. Alpena is the area's only commercial Airport (and it is an excellent 

facility. It is a two+ hour drive (in good weather) for the marginal airline service available in Saginaw or Traverse City. If 

flights are not available in Alpena, it is a four+ hour drive to Detroit for airline service. 

The two flights per day in and out of Alpena are crucial to Northeast Michigan's ability to retain its businesses and 

commercial activity, let alone attract new activity and employment opportunities to help offset our chronically high 

unemployment. Without regular air service, it will be impossible to recruit physicians to provide medical care to the 

whole area. Even the tourism industry will be adversely affected. It would not be an exaggeration to raise the possibility 

of the death or serious decline of the whole area. 

I am not an advocate of government subsidies, but this whole region is woefully underserved by the government. We 

don't get much, but subsidized airline service to Detroit is not much to ask for in order to save this area. I believe the 

service, if reliably and efficiently operated and properly priced, could be run at break even or even a profit. It appears 

Delta seeks a larger subsidy to continue serving the area, and I would urge you look favorably at putting whatever 

pressure can be applied to have them continue the service, even at the cost of a higher subsidy. Continued commercial 

service to Detroit is necessary. Gulfstream service to Cleveland makes no sense and won't be utilized. It is a waste of 

taxpayer resources. Please help us. 

James L. Mazrum 

Attorney at Law 

109 E. Chisholm 

Alpena Ml 49707 

phone: 989-356-3444 

fax: 989-354-2821 
Adams, Kevin (OST) 

From: Wendy World Wide Travel [wendylacombe@frontier.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 9:50 AM 

To: Adams, Kevin (OST) 

Subject: wendy lacombe owner of world wide travel in alpena mi 

Dear Kevin, 

I was given your email address by our Alpena Chamber of Commerce and I have shared it with 

many people so hopefully you are getting lots of emails with our concern of the Gulfstream 

Air proposal in Alpena. 

This is a unsuitable airline for us with concerns of a 19 passenger plane could have lots of 

weather issues, an uncomfortable aircraft after having a 50 passenger jet as well as less 

connectivity via Cleveland. 

Alpena has hit the 10,090 enplanements thus far with Delta and it is in our best interest to 

keep the Delta service we have. 

If you can help in anyway keeping Delta in Alpena I would be so grateful. 

Wendy LaCombe, ACC, CTC 

World Wide Travel 

1223 S. State St. Suite C 

Alpena, Mi. 49707 

989-354-WIDE 

www.worldwidetravelsandtours.com